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Acanthus: Greek Culture

8th June 2011, hej

 

2) Hebrew thinking

There is nothing 'cyclical' in the Hebrew doctrine of resurrection found in the Bible. There is no mention of immortality of a person's soul in his life. Rather the soul dies. Adam is told,

In the sweat of thy face shall thou eat bread, till thou return unto the ground; for out of it wast thou taken: for dust thou art, and unto dust shall thou return. (Genesis 3:19)

The ancient Hebrews from their earliest history were clear as to the fate of humans after death. The account of Adam in Genesis implies all the things that were Adam and defined him as a person returned to dust. There is breath given by God, but it is taken away,

Thou hidest thy face, they are troubled: thou take away their breath, they die, and return to their dust. (Psalm 104:29)

In Hebrew thinking even during the later prophets maintained that sinners souls died,

Behold, all souls are mine; as the soul of the father, so also the soul of the son is mine: the soul that sinneth, it shall die. (Ezekiel 18:4)

Did something change with the coming of Christianity? Peter who was a Jew used the common Jewish understanding of the death state to preach Christ resurrected,

Men and brethren, let me freely speak unto you of the patriarch David, that he is both dead and buried, and his sepulchre is with us unto this day. Therefore being a prophet, and knowing that God had sworn with an oath to him, that of the fruit of his loins, according to the flesh, he would raise up Christ to sit on his throne; He seeing this before spake of the resurrection of Christ, that his soul was not left in hell, neither his flesh did see corruption. This Jesus hath God raised up, whereof we all are witnesses. Therefore being by the right hand of God exalted, and having received of the Father the promise of the Holy Ghost, he hath shed forth this, which ye now see and hear. For David is not ascended into the heavens: but he saith himself, The LORD said unto my Lord, Sit thou on my right hand, (Act 2:29-34)

Paul, who also self-identified himself as a Hebrew, backs up Peter,

For David, after he had served his own generation by the will of God, fell on sleep, and was laid unto his fathers, and saw corruption: But he, whom God raised again, saw no corruption. (Acts 13:36-37)


The Hebrews who were the first Christians did not believe in immortality of the soul. Their great and faithful King David was dead, perished and dust. Rather after a resurrection those risen from the dead are who are found worthy are made immortal,

In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed. For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality. So when this corruptible shall have put on incorruption, and this mortal shall have put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written, Death is swallowed up in victory. (1Cor 15:52-54)


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Topics: Greek, acanthus
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